Step-ladder.



PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

H. E. EoEBEs. STEP LADDER. APPLICATION FILED AUG.14. 1906.

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HORACE B. FORBES, OF OGDEN, UTAH.

STEP-LADDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed August 14,1906. Serial No. 330,548.

To all whom, it' T11/ay concern:

Be it known that l, HORACE citizen of the United States, and a residentof Ogden, in the county of leber and State l of Utah, have invented anew and Improved Step-Ladder, of which the following is a full, l clear,and exact description.

This inifention relates to improvements l in step-ladders, moreespecially directed to l means for assembling the parts in a strong anddurable manner.

lith this in view the invention consists of novel sheet-metal bracketsforming the union between the ladder-steps and its front legs, combinedwith a sheet-metal bracket for connecting the upper ends of the legswith the top board, also affording means to which the rear legs of thelatter are pivoted. The front and rear legs of the ladder are adjust--ably connected together by forked inetal strips of peculiar formation,adapting the legs of the ladder to be folded together when not in use.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the ladder with one of the legs partlybroken away to more clearly disclose the construction of a bracketemployed at each end of the laddersteps. Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe ladder. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the I central portion of theladder, in side elevation, disclosing the means for adjustablyconnecting the rear and front legs. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3,but with the legs of the ladder separated to a lesser extent. Fig. 5 isa plan view of the means for adjustably connecting the legs of theladder together. Fig. is a perspective view of a bracket employed inconnecting the upper ends of the ladderlegs to the top board, the upperends of said legs being shown in position in the bracket. Fig. 7 is aperspective view of a portion of ene of the front ladder-legs with abracket secured thereon as employed in connecting the front legs withthe steps; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the upper end of one ofthe rear ladder-legs, showing a sheet-metal socket as employed to coverthe same.

ln carrying out .the invention l employ struts or posts 1 -1, formingthe front legs of the ladder, which are braced by steps 2, transverselyextending between the legs, and

B. FORBES, a upper ends.

a top board 3, connected to the legs at their Struts 4 4, forming therear legs of the ladder, are braced by diagonal strips 5 and transversestrips 6, connecting them together, the rear legs being in pivotalconnection with the front legs of the ladder, as is usual in step-ladderconstruction.

For connecting the end of each. step of the ladder to the front legs 1 lemploy a sheetmetal bracket 7, (best shown in perspective in Fig. 7,)comprising members 7u and S, bent at right angles to each other, themember 7d being provided with extended ears 9, bent in the samedirection to embrace and be secured to the edges of the leg. Theprojecting portion 8 of this bracket is formed with an extended portionat one end which is bent downwardly at substantially right angles to themember 8, forming a brace 10, and portion 11, bent inwardly to lie flatagainst the inner face of the leg. For fastening this bracket on theinner face of the leg screwis provided with a` nails or otherdevices'are employed, which are passed through the ears 9 and at the endof the inwardly-turned portion 11 of the brace 10, as illustrated inFig. 7. After a suitable number of these brackets have been fastened tothe inner face of each leg, corresponding in number to the number ofsteps desired, the steps 2 are nailed or otherwise secured to theprojecting portions 8. lt should be noted that the angle formed. betweenthe projecting portion S and the brace 10 is slightly flattened, as at12, in order to throw the braces inwardly toward the inner face of theladder-leg, and thus adapting the portion 11 to lie flat against saidinner face.

For securing the top board 3 to the upper ends of the legs 1 and alsoproviding means to which the rear legs 4 are pivotally connected lemploy a bracket 13, best shown in perspective in Fig. 6 and comprisinga top or central portion 13a and downwardly-turned sides 14, to embracethe legs 1 at opposite sides and be secured thereto by nails or otherdevices, as illustrated in said figure. The top of the bracket is extended at each end to provide upwardly-turned ears 15, which when thebracket is connected to the top board 3, embraces the board at oppositeedges and is secured thereto by nails or other devices passing throughthe apertures shown.

Each of the rear legs 4 of the ladder are inclosed at their upper endsby a metal cap or socket 16, (shown in Fig. 8,) said cap being made ofsheet metal and bent to inclose IOO TIO

these ends of the legs, as illustrated. Each side of the cap 16 isindented with protuberances 17, which prevent the cap from work ingloose when they are inserted between the sides 14 of the bracket 13 anddrawn to gether bya bolt 18, pivotally connecting the bracket and capwith the leg 4 contained therein. These caps l 6 prevent undue wearingof th holes through which the bolts 18 are passed.

For adjustably connecting the front and rear legs of the ladder togetherl employ a sheet-metal member 19, which is bent upon itself at itscenter to form an intermediate slot, throughwhich a sheet-metal member20 is adapted to pass. The sheet-metal member 19 is constructed withdivergent ends 2l, forming a fork, the outer ends of which are pivotallyconnected to the front legs by pins or rivets 22. The sheet-metal member2O is split longitudinallyT to form a fork comprising members 23, whichare divergently bent and pivotally connected by rivets or pins 24 to thelegs 4, the members 23 being sprung in order that the pivot-pins may bein alinement.

Each of the members 19 and 20 are provided with a series of holes 25,which are adapted to be brought into alinement and a bolt or pin passtherethrough., thereby holding the front or rear legs of the ladder fromfolding together, which. is desirable for use by paper-hangers or forother special purposes.

The member 2O carries at its end prongs 26, extending over the member 19and coperating with. slots or notches 27 therein for holding the legs ofthe ladder in adjusted position. As shown, the outer end of the member19 is slightly upturned in order that the member 20 can freely passunder it and into the slot adjacent thereto.

Although l have particularly described the invention in detail, it is tobe understood that the precise embodiment is not material, provided itis within the scope of the an nexed claims.

Having thus described my invention, l claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A step-ladder comprising two sets of legspivotally connected together, means for adjustably bracing' the legs,consisting of a sheet-metal member bent to form a slot with e upper endsof the legs 4, as also the l the ends thereof divergently bent andpivotally connected to one pair of the legs, a second sheet-metal memberpassing through the slot in the lirst and longitudinally split formingmembers divergently bent and pivotally connected to the second set oflegs, and locking means carried by the adjacent ends of each l member.

2. In a step ladder, legs, steps, sheetmetal brackets secured to thelegs and connecting them with the steps, each bracket comprising aportion to lie Hat against the inner face of a leg, and a second portionbent ,l at substantially right angles to the first to lie ilat againstthe under face of a step, said second portion having an extended endbent downwardly, forming a brace, the latter ly- ,i ing in a planesubstantially at right angles to both of said 'first and secondportions, part of said extended end being bent to lie in a plane withsaid first portion.

3. In a step ladder, legs, steps, sheet-` metalv brackets secured to thelegs and connecting them with the steps, each bracket comprising aportion to lie flat against the inner face of a leg with ears bent toembrace the edges thereof, and. a second portion bent at substantiallyright angles to the firstvto lie flat against the under face of a step,said second portion having an extended end bent downwardly, forming abrace, the latter lying in a plane substantially at right angles to bothof said iirst and second portions, part of said extended end being bentto lie in a plane with said first portion, for the purpose described.

4. In a step-ladder, legs, steps secured to (the legs rigidly connectingthem together,

sheet-metal lsliape to embrace the upper ends of the legs at both sides,upwardly-extending ears formed integral with the top of said brackets ateach end thereof, a top board secured between said ears, and rear legshaving their upper ends pivoted to and inclosed by said brackets.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my l name to this speciiication inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HORACE B. FORBES.

brackets bent in inverted- U Vitnesses:

ABBoT MAGINNIS, JAMES N. KIRKBALL.

IOO

